Testimonials

Assessing People

"Jim has provided us with profile testing for senior-level management candidates through the years. He's helped us to make solid decisions. He has a good understanding of our corporate culture, so he truly understands if a candidate will be a good fit. And, his reporting is so accurate, it's almost frightening." -- Lynne Woodworth, President/CEO, Stone Construction Equipment, Inc. (Honeoye, NY)

"Making the right personnel decisions is critical to the future of our company. Working with The Solutions Group during the prehire process provides us with invaluable information in selecting just the right candidates. The Solutions Group has an uncanny ability to provide our company with in depth information on prehire situations, so we find just the right fit for our needs. The Solutions Group has the expertise to help us make the right choice of candidates, and possibly more importantly, avoid making the wrong choice." -- Paul Van Dyck, CFO, Miller Felpax Corporation (Winona, MN)

"The Solutions Group (Dr. Jim Kestenbaum) has played an instrumental role in helping us select the right person for key positions in our organization. Dr. Jim's reports provide valuable insights into areas that we, as an employer, feel are critical to our success. His ability to take a job description and screen candidates to those specific characteristics is exceptional. There is no doubt in my mind that we have made the right decision every time Dr. Jim was involved. -- Brad McAreavy, President, Rochester Automobile Dealers Association (Rochester, NY)

"One of the most highly effective tools Jim is capable of bringing to a company is his testing/evaluation services. These have not only been highly effective and "spot on" when it comes to prescreening and selecting potential hires, but have been invaluable in assessing and addressing the personalities, habits, strengths, and weaknesses of our key management team. This process has provided opportunities for professional growth as well as personal growth, which improved our performance in the workplace as well as outside it." -- Doug Woods, President, The Association For Manufacturing Technology (McClean, VA)

Leadership Development

"The broad "bandwidth" of services offered by The Solutions Group is a valued resource to me for both personal and organizational development. My time collaborating with Dr. Jim has always catalyzed my thinking, and has served as an important ingredient to whatever success I have enjoyed in a dynamic and growing manufacturing business." -- Joe Bridgeford, Executive Leader & Advisor for Manufacturing and Technology Enterprises (Farmington, NY)

"I have found Jim to be very effective at wading through the stresses, trials, and tribulations related to being a CEO, and providing the guidance, advice, and discipline needed to stay successful in this position." -- Doug Woods, President, The Association For Manufacturing Technology (McClean, VA)

Senior Team Development

"Ideas and Ideals inspire (human) enterprise to success. Quality leadership and management are the catalysts nurturing culture, which delivers on this performance. TSG and “Dr. Jim” unlock the secrets of this quality through education, understanding and “hands-on” coaching, delivering a specific set of “take a ways” which are immediately ready for use." -- George W. Hamlin, IV, President and CEO, Canandaigua National Bank and Trust, Canandaigua National Corporation (Canandaigua, NY)

"Jim has been an invaluable resource to Liberty, bringing a unique blend of business experience, practical psychology, coach, confidant, and "Dutch Uncle." All of these skills have helped Jim to immerse himself in our organization, find the areas of improvement, foster relationships with employees at all levels, and implement effective solutions which fit our strategic goals and culture." -- Doug Woods, President, The Association For Manufacturing Technology (McClean, VA)

"I have known and worked with Jim for over ten years in several companies. He has helped me and my teams in a variety of areas including mid-level and senior management prehire assessment, team building, and senior-level coaching and counseling. I can highly recommend Jim in all of these areas.

But Jim is not an academic or industrial psychologist, per se - he is a business advisor who gives real world, actionable advice that you can use. We almost consider him a part of our senior management team.

Jim is currently working with my senior management team in a process aimed at even further increasing our effectiveness. We have been in this process for a little over a month and already we have seen substantial improvement." -- Steve Blue, President/CEO, Miller Felpax Corporation (Winona, MN)